Improvement in farm-gates



J. LEPLEY. Farm-Gates.

Patented Jan. 29,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES LEPLEY, on 'LEWISB'URG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT-IN FARM-GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 199,652, dated January 29, 1878; application filed July 28, 1877.

To all whom *it-may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES LEPLEY, of Lewisburg, in the county of Union and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in FarmGates, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top view of my improved gate. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, the gate being swung open to the left. Fig. 3 is a detached and enlarged view of the upper hinge and the ratchet-gear. Fig. 4 is a side view of the pendent arm or arms, having a ratchet-bar. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the triangular or scalloped socket in which the upper pin of the heelpost works.

My invention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of gates, in which I employ a lever, ratchet-bar, segment-pinion, and especially a triangular or scalloped socket, as part of the upper hinge of the gate, all of which will be fully understood by the following description.

In the construction of my improved gate, the foundation A and gate-post B may be of the usual form. The lower hinge consists of a simple pin in the lower end of the heel-post of the gate, which pin works in an eye, theshank of which is driven into the gate-post in the usual way. The upper hinge has a similar pin in'the top of the heel-post of the gate, and this pin works in a triangularly-scalloped socket or eye, H, the shank of which is inserted into the gate-post. By means of this scalloped socket the upper end of the heelpost of the gate mayberocked, or tiltedforward and backward, and also to the right and to the left, and thus make the gate swing in different directions by its own weight, ac

cording as 'it may be tilted by means of lever D, which is pivoted upon the gate-post B, and isprovided with two pendent pulls, E, and also with a pendent arm or arms having a ratchet-bar, G, which gears into a segmentpinion, F,Fig. 3, and is guided by the roller I.

When the gate is shut the heel'post thereof is inclined forward, and the pin of the upper hinge rests in the forward angle or scallop of the socket or eye H, and the gate is thus latched, so that neither cattle nor wind can push the gate open. Now, by placing the hand on one of the pulls E, the gate is easily tilted backward and away from the person pulling, thus unlatchingthe gate and causing it to swing open, awayfrom the operator, where vthe gate will rest. After passing the gate, the hand of a child upon the other pull E may again tilt the gate, thus unlatching the same, when, by its own weight, it again closes. Thus the gate may be opened in either direction or closed at pleasure, and the pulls E are so placed as to be reached from a buggy, if

desired.

Having described my invention, I claim- The triangularly slotted or scalloped socket H, in combination with the pin or pintle of the upper hinge, the gearing F and Gr, and lever D, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JAMES LEPLEY. Witnesses:

IRA CATHERMAN, O. P. NIsMoNGER. 

